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One might speculate whether Cricket Australia intentionally chooses to be unclear about player availability or simply lacks effectiveness in communications, but once again, the health status of athletes and the makeup of the XI must be inferred from the selection in the larger squad for the Brisbane match.

Normally, an identical team list would not be much news, but on this occasion it is, due to the anticipated changes involving both key players, neither of which has come to pass.

The unexpected element is Cummins for his omission, with the regular captain and pace spearhead progressing in rehabilitation from initial symptoms of a stress fracture. The sole official statement was a cursory line with the team announcement stating that “Pat Cummins will travel to Brisbane to further his training.”

Insider reports support the view that this is all situation normal and his healing is proceeding well, with a likely addition to the side soon. In theory, Cummins could even join the Brisbane squad in the next few days if deemed fit by staff. However, something the claims doesn’t add up.

Going back to when Cummins’ scans were cleared in last month, initiating the countdown on his buildup to match fitness, all public commentary from the player and timelines from CA suggested he would just be unavailable for the first Test and was scheduled to train at nearly full tilt with the squad in Perth. The head coach remarked, “Cummins will be fit to bowl in Perth, and people will be sitting there questioning why he’s not playing.”

Once Cummins got back to his home city following the victory in the west, he was seen bowling in the state facilities without any visible restrictions and, most notably, was using a pink Kookaburra ball, what one would assume as readiness for the Brisbane day-night game.

What prompted the shift, well over a month since Cummins said he would need a month to prepare bowling loads, and with less than a week to go in Brisbane? Additionally, there are over a week’s break between Brisbane and the third Test. Should he target Adelaide, it will be over two months since he resumed bowling.

This is acceptable: medical opinions evolve, doctors may be cautious, athletes might take care. It’s just peculiar is that during the high-profile Ashes contest in the season, the governing body’s representatives don’t appear to consider it reasonable to share any information about the skipper’s condition or the evolving status of either.

If care is the priority with the captain, the opposite applies with Khawaja’s back injury. He had spasms flare up in the first Test during brief periods on the field, keeping Australia’s usual opener from playing his role in the match and from making an impact when he eventually batted. Even if his symptoms have subsided, the fact he’d not experienced them before surely leaves some risk that they could return in the heat of the next Test.

With Khawaja in the squad suggests he is set to return to opening the batting, even though his replacement scored a historic hundred in Perth. Khawaja wouldn’t be picked as a reserve or to bat down the order. Once more, there is no official information about this, just the selection.

This doesn’t mean that sides must reveal a full lineup when announcing selections, and strategies may shift. But some plans are firmer than others, and given the way Travis Head’s explosive performance drew fan interest, it would do no harm to confirm where those two players are slotted to play. Some uncertainty in life is a good thing, but manufacturing it out of the broadly obvious is needless. If you’re in the business of winning over audiences, transparency is crucial.